Guests Dr. Hany Farid and Ted Schlein join host Col. Dave Brown and co-host Dr. Tim Schultz to discuss deepfake technology and the challenge of the proliferation of fake news and disinformation. One of Aesop’s fables was titled Prometheus and Dolus, or sometimes alternatively titled, On Truth and Falsehood. In the fable, Prometheus can bring to life the figures he creates, and so he makes a sculpture of Truth (Veritas). When he is called away by Zeus, he leaves his workshop in the hands of his apprentice Dolus (the Greek God of Deception). While he is gone, Dolus fashions a replica of Prometheus's Truth, but runs out of clay, so his statue has no feet. When Prometheus returns, he marvels at the flawless likeness and fires both sculptures in the oven. When both figures come to life, Prometheus' Veritas (Truth) walks gracefully forward, while Dolus’ figure remains still - unable to walk. Ever after, Dolus' figure was called Mendacity (Falsehood). This is a fitting description of our topic which concerns the ever-growing area of deepfake digital media, its potential for tremendous negative consequences for domestic and international cybersecurity, its larger potential for societal disruption, and recommendations for how best to address it.

Articles:

• California Enacts New Laws to Combat AI-Generated Deceptive Election Content, S. Levi, T. Rosen et al, Skadden, 27 Sep 2024
• California Passes Election ‘Deepfake’ Laws, Forcing Social Media Companies to Take Action, NYT, 17 Sep 2024
• Deepfakes Are Evolving. This Company Wants to Catch Them All, W. Knight, Wired, 27 Jun 2024
• Hany Farid: Creating, Weaponizing, and Detecting Deep Fakes, UCSB Interdisciplinary Humanities Center, 3 May 2023 (video)
• A Forensics Expert on Princess Kate’s Photo—and How Credentialing Tools Can Help Build Trust in a World of Increasing Uncertainty, H. Farid, TIME, 12 Mar 2024
• AI is destabilizing ‘the concept of truth itself’ in 2024 election, P. Verma & G. De Vynck, Washington Post, 22 Jan 2024
• Hany Farid: To limit disinformation, we must regulate internet platforms, E. Lempinen, UC Berkeley News, 21 Nov, 2023
• Podcast: Hany Farid on deep fakes, doctored photos, and disinformation, H. Farid, Q. Jurecic & E. Douek, Brookings, 24 Jul 2020 (Podcast)
• Creating,Using, Misusing, and Detecting Deep Fakes, Farid, H. (2022). Creating, Using, Misusing, and Detecting Deep Fakes. Journal of Online Trust and Safety, 1(4). https://doi.org/10.54501/jots.v1i4.56
• CV:

Professor Jacob Ware joins host Col. Dave Brown and Dr. Timothy Hoyt to discuss both current manifestations of and potential future episodes of election violence in this presidential election cycle. Quoting from one of Professor Ware's recent articles, "counterterrorism scholars and analysts have predicted for [some time] that the 2024 presidential election would provide a particularly volatile flashpoint for election violence. The near-assassination of Trump demonstrates the accuracy of these concerns—but they are only part of the story."

The conversation ranges from how political rhetoric framed in existential terms drives these outcomes, the staggering percentages of the U.S. polity that feel violence might be necessary to fix U.S. political problems, and identifies potential target orientations before, during, and after the election. This timely discussion focuses on the growth and significance of both realized and potential political violence in our country as we move into this important election season, and beyond.

Articles/Reference:

• Election Violence Is Already in Full Swing, J. Ware, Lawfare, 22 Sep 2024
• Opinion: Trump assassination attempts are just the beginning. Imagine what is coming after the election, J. Ware & C. Clarke, L.A. Times, 17 Sep 2024
• How Bad Will Political Violence in the U.S. Get? B. Hoffman & J. War, Foreign Policy, 28 Jun 2024
• Preventing U.S. Election Violence in 2024, J. Ware, CFR, 17 April 2024
• Political Violence Becomes America's New Norm - But is Still Shocking, A. Zurcher, BBC, 15 Sep 2024
• 2 Virginia Guardsmen Are Running a Rural Anti-Government Militia, S. Beynon, Military.com, 5 Sep 2024
• Could Civil War Erupt in America?, R. Agrawal, Foreign Policy, 29 Aug 2024 (video)
• Iran Hack Illuminates Long-Standing Trends—and Raises New Challenges, R. DiResta, Lawfare, 26 Aug 2024
• Two Ex-Marines Sentenced for Terror Plot to Attack Power Grid, N. Slayton, Task & Purpose, 27 Jul 2024

Marking the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, guests Dr. Tim Hoyt and Dr. Craig Whiteside join host Col. Dave Brown as they revisit their policy roundtable 2019 article, “Retrospect and Prospect: On Endless War,” and continue their discussion and analysis of not only how American thinking and counter-terrorism efforts have evolved, but that the simmering threats of Al-Qa'ida and the Islamic State still deserve continued monitoring.

Articles:

• Policy Roundtable: 17 Years After September 11, R. Evans et al, TNSR, 11 Sep 2018
• Non-state campaigning: Islamic State’s guerrilla warfare doctrine, C. Whiteside, et al, Jul 2024
• The Persistent Threat of Global Terrorism, P. Brookes, GIS Reports, 4 Apr 2024
• Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community, Office of DIA, 5 Feb 2024
• The Terrorism Warning Lights Are Blinking Red Again, G. Allison & M. Morell, Foreign Affairs, 10 Jun 2024
• Where Do We Stand with Al-Qaeda and ISIS? International Salafi Networks in 2024, A. Byers, Small Wars Journal, 16 Jun 2024
• ‘ISIS Isn’t Done With Us’: Arrested Tajiks Highlight US Fears of Terror Attack on US, K. Lillis & J. Campbell, CNN, 14 Jun 2024
• The Islamic State: Background, Current Status, and U.S. Policy, Congressional Research Service, May 2024

Guests:

Timothy D. Hoyt, Ph.D.

Senior Professor at the U.S. Naval War College’s Strategy and Policy Department. Professor Hoyt holds the John Nicholas Brown Chair of Counterterrorism and Academic Director of the Advanced Strategist Program. Publications include articles on the war on terrorism in South Asia, the limits of military force in the global war on terrorism, military innovation & warfare in the developing world.

Craig Whiteside, Ph.D.

Professor of National Security Affairs at the U.S. Naval War College’s resident program at the Naval Postgraduate School. He is a senior associate with the Center on Irregular Warfare and Armed Groups, and a fellow at the International Centre for Counter-terrorism – The Hague, and George Washington's Program on Extremism. Whiteside’s current research focuses on the doctrinal influences on the leadership of the so-called Islamic State movement and its evolving strategies. He is a former U.S. Army officer with combat experience in the Middle East.

In conjunction with the 2024 Maritime Symposium: Exploring Our Maritime Strategies II, guests Royal Navy Commodore Adrian Fryer (Ret.) and Mr. Evan Curt join host Col. Dave Brown and co-host Jon R. Huggins to discuss security threats to shipping, particularly energy exports sailing through the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf. Listen to this episode to gain an overview of the security threats within this critical maritime strait, and to global maritime commerce.

Articles:

• DIA Report on Houthi Attacks and Pressure on International Trade, USNI News, 13 June 2024
• 65 countries affected by Houthi attacks in Red Sea, including Iran, A. Helou, Breaking Defense, 13 Jun 2024
• Maritime Terrorism Is on The Rise Whether We Notice It or Not, The Diplomatic Courier, 23 May 2024
• Ending the Houthi Threat to Red Sea, N. Al-Dawsari, Casey Cooms, et al, American Enterprise Institute, 26 Mar 2024
• IntelBrief: Iran and the Houthis Issue New Threats to Commercial Shipping, The Soufan Center, 26 Mar 2024
• Escalating Houthi attacks could affect 90% of world trade, ABC News, 21 Feb 2024

Co-Host:

Jon Huggins Associate Professor for International Programs at the U.S. Naval War College. As the founding Director of the Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP) program during the height of the Somali piracy crisis, his organization’s research was featured by the BBC, New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Al Jazeera. OBP was also a key contributor to the release of 44 piracy hostages held in Somalia for up to four years. He later worked across four continents as a maritime security consultant for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the International Maritime Organization, the G7++ Presidency and the commercial shipping industry. A career Navy P-3 Naval Flight Officer, he directed multi-squadron flight operations for Operation Enduring Freedom, and also served on the NATO and EU Military Staffs in Brussels, 7th Fleet HQ, and was a Federal Executive Fellow at the Atlantic Council, and a member of the CNO Executive Panel staff.

Guests:

Evan Curt

Deputy Commissioner of Maritime Affairs, Republic of the Marshall Islands. In 2012, Mr. Curt joined International Registries, Inc.’s Maritime Services Group as Maritime Security & Investigations Coordinator and in 2015 was promoted to Ship Security Manager. In 2021, Mr. Curt was promoted to Vice President, Maritime Security. In this role, Mr. Curt is responsible for issues relating to the ISPS Code and related maritime security issues and initiatives including piracy and armed robbery against ships, maritime terrorism, stowaways, contraband smuggling, and maritime cyber risk management. He serves as a delegate to many maritime security working groups coordinated and supported by shipping industry...

In conjunction with the 2024 Maritime Symposium: Exploring Our Maritime Strategies II, guests Capt. Joe Baggett, Nadwa Al-Dawsari, and Evan Curt join host Col. Dave Brown to discuss the Houthi attacks on global shipping vessels and U.S. warships in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, in the Red Sea. Listen to this episode to gain an overview of the threat to this critical maritime region.

Articles:

• DIA Report on Houthi Attacks and Pressure on International Trade, USNI News, 13 June 2024
• 65 countries affected by Houthi attacks in Red Sea, including Iran, A. Helou, Breaking Defense, 13 Jun 2024
• Maritime Terrorism Is on The Rise Whether We Notice it or Not, The Diplomatic Courier, 23 May 2024
• Ending the Houthi Threat to Red Sea, N. Al-Dawsari, Casey Cooms, et al, American Enterprise Institute, 26 Mar 2024
• IntelBrief: Iran and the Houthis Issue New Threats to Commercial Shipping, The Soufan Center, 26 Mar 2024
• Escalating Houthi attacks could affect 90% of world trade, ABC News, 21 Feb 2024

Guests:

Nadwa Al-Dawsari

A veteran researcher, conflict analyst, and policy advisor, Nadwa Al-Dawsari has 20 years of experience in Yemen and the Middle East. She is a Nonresident Scholar at the Middle East Institute (MEI) and a Fellow at the Center on Armed Groups. She advises policymakers, donors, and humanitarian organizations, and her insights are widely published by the top think tanks in the United States and Europe. In her previous roles, Nadwa served as a senior conflict advisor to the World Food Program, a Yemen Country Director at the Center for Civilians in Conflict, the founding Director at Partners Yemen, a MENA advisor at Partners Global, and a Senior Program Manager at the National Democratic Institute. Nadwa’s research focuses on Yemeni and regional conflict dynamics, including the impact of U.S. foreign policy, internationally led peace efforts, counterterrorism, and aid on regional stability, amidst the rise of non-state armed actors and proxy warfare.

Capt. Joseph Baggett, USN

Commanding Officer of the U.S. Navy’s Surface Warfare School and former senior staff officer for MOC-D C5F. Capt. Baggett served on a number of U.S. naval vessels including the USS Klakring (FFG 42); USS Stout (DDG 55); USS Barry (DDG 52); USS Anzio (CG 68); He also was commanding officer of the Destroyer USS Truxtun (DDG 103) and the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61). Shore tours include service on the staff of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. 5th Fleet as lead exercise planner in Future Plans; lead requirements officer for the Littoral Combat Ship - Mine Warfare Mission Package, at the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; and the operations officer for the Deployable Training...

In anticipation of CIWAG’s 2024 Maritime Symposium: Exploring Our Maritime Strategies – II, scheduled for June 24-25, Guest Dr. Ian Ralby joins host Col. Dave Brown to discuss the two great maritime straits in the Middle East. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf currently share several things; both are under threat and both have tremendous implications related not only to global shipping, but by extension, the entire global economy.

Listen to this episode to gain an overview of the threats to these two critical maritime regions. Join us for more in-depth discussion, at our Maritime Symposium 24-25 June, by registering here.

Articles:

• Maritime Terrorism Is On The Rise Whether We Notice It Or Not, The Diplomatic Courier, 23 May 2024
• IntelBrief: Iran and the Houthis Issue New Threats to Commercial Shipping, The Soufan Center, 26 Mar 2024
• Escalating Houthi Attacks Could Affect 90% of World Trade, ABC News, 21 Feb 2024

Guest:

Ian M. Ralby, Ph.D. is a globally recognized expert in maritime law and security, especially addressing evolving threats, maritime strategy, and the global maritime economy. In addition to being founder and CEO of I.R. Consilium, providing advice and assistance on maritime and resource security, he is also a Fellow at the Center on Maritime Strategy in partnership with the Navy League, and an affiliate of several institutions including the U.S. Naval War College, the Defense Institute of International Legal Studies, and the Institute for Security Governance. He previously spent 6 years as an Adjunct Professor of Maritime Law and Security at the U.S. Department of Defense’s Africa Center for Strategic Studies, and served 5 years as a subject matter expert on Maritime Crime for the United Nations Office on Drugs and the Global Maritime Crime Program.

• Selected Publications

Guests Dr. Lawson Brigham and Dr. Rebecca Pincus join host Col. Dave Brown and co-host Dr. Walter Berbrick to discuss the growing importance of the Arctic Sea as an area of economic resources, Trans-Arctic shipping routes, and a potential zone of international security concerns. This episode will touch upon items relating to the Arctic Council, Arctic development, the impact of the Russia-Ukraine War, and a new era of peace and security in the region. Tune in to hear our participants’ thoughts on threat activity in the High North, along with the need for increased strategic considerations and updated U.S. policy directions.

Articles:

• New Challenges for the Bering Strait, L. Brigham, USNI Proceedings Vol.150/5/1,455, May 2024.
• Polar Points No. 27 | New Era of Arctic Cooperation, L. Brigham & R. Pincus, Wilson Center, 4 Apr. 2024.
• 360° View of Policies Needed to Secure Shipping Chokepoints, M. Kennedy, J. Macaron, Wilson Center, et al. (R. Pincus, co-author), 13 Feb. 2024.
• The IMO Polar Code: Safety and Environmental Protection for Polar Waters, L. Brigham, USNI Proceedings Vol.150/1/1,451, Jan. 2024.
• Agency Challenges and Implications with a US Extended Continental Shelf, L. Brigham, Wilson Center, 19 Dec. 23.
• Polar Institute Director Rebecca Pincus on 'What Is Strategic Competition?', R. Pincus, Wilson Center, 5 Jan. 2024.
• Arctic Militarization and Russian Military Theory, M. Petersen & R. Pincus, Orbis, Volume 65, Issue 3, 2021, Pages 490-512.
• Security and geopolitics in the Arctic: The Increase of Hybrid Threat Activities in the Norwegian High North, G. H. Gjorv, Hybrid CoE, March 2024.
• 400+ Allied, Joint Special Operations Forces Secure the Arctic, M. Carey, DVIDS, 14 Mar. 2024.

Co-Host:

Walter Berbrick, Ph.D. Senior national security executive, strategist, and advisor with two decades of experience leading teams in policy, intelligence, military and academic communities at the highest levels of government. He currently serves as an analyst in the War Gaming Department in the U.S. Naval War College, and was a previous professor at the college. Walter has held national security roles at the State Department and Pentagon and served for 10 years in the U.S. Navy.

Guests:

Lawson W. Brigham, Ph.D. Global Fellow in the Wilson Center's Polar Institute in...